|
Listen to this devotional: |
Listen while you read: "Are You Coming To Jesus Tonight"1 (Lyrics) |
2 Corinthians 5:1 – For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (ESV)
I have been busy. I have had to replace worn out parts in various household appliances, alongside the general duties and the usual chores. Things get to a certain age, and either you throw an item away as beyond mending and get a new one, or you repair it.
We have older iPhones shared out among the family for safety and security. The problem with an older iPhone is that the battery loses its ability to hold a charge, and then becomes unreliable, making the phone unfit for its original, intended purpose. Fortunately, I am able and dexterous enough to stack up my glasses, disassemble the phone battery, and install a new one.
Caroline's phone had to have its battery replaced, as it had expanded and was no longer working properly. I had bought a genuine replacement, and so I set about the task of removing the tiny — ever-so-tiny — screws that hold down the plugs in their sockets.
When I got everything back together, I was surprised that the new battery was as bad as the old one that I had taken out. Then, my gaze alighted upon the new battery still sitting in its plastic cover, untouched. In my haste, I had put the old battery back in the phone. Oh dear! My mind and gaze were not really focused on the job.
There was nothing for it but to have a do-over — and remember to get the new battery out of the packet first! It was a fiddly job, but I am glad to say that it turned out okay, much to my relief.
It made me think about how God sometimes allows us a do-over. He does not throw us away when we are worn out, burnt out, no longer able to hold our spiritual charge to worship and praise God. He it is Who repairs us by an act of grace and replenishes our beings. Sometimes by a miracle, He gives us more time here on earth, taking us away from death's door.
Eventually, we all become totally physically worn out for this world, beyond repair by human agency, and God gladly gives a new, eternal body to all those whose hope is in Jesus as their Saviour.
Jesus is the ultimate upcycler. He picks us up from the dust and takes us up into heaven. Our temporal bodies may wear out, but Jesus' love for us is eternal. Praise God! He paid the price for Christians, for our sins and shortcomings.
Let us be sure to share this glad news with those who have not yet met Jesus!
Prayer: Lord, You are the Creator, Lover, and Sustainer of our souls. We will never be worthy of renewal by our own efforts alone. Please visit us today by the presence of Your Holy Spirit, to bring the refreshment and inner peace that comes only from You. We rejoice that through Jesus' death and resurrection, You have set in place an everlasting pathway for us to heaven, open to all who trust in Jesus as their Saviour. Hallelujah, Jesus! Amen.
Forward this devotional Share this devotional on Facebook Like PresbyCan on Facebook
Although PresbyCan doesn't have a mobile app, you can still have a PresbyCan icon on your mobile phone home screen. 
Wednesday, September 18, 2024 – In Asia — Pray for good planning and teaching abilities for me as I instruct others in how to use an evangelistic Bible study method. Pray for me as I also teach Arabic to two new worker candidates going to minister in the Middle East.
Abundance, new home and service: "Update September 13, 2024: I welcome prayers for the transition of my life .Please pray for me to..." 
Travel: "September 8, 2024: Please pray for my daughter and her two 20ish children who will be travelling to..." 
Amen! Thank you Rod.
Yes, good news for sure. Thank you!
Wonderful images of truth! Blessings.
Thanks for the encouraging thoughts, Rod.
Wonderful prayer started my morning the right way.
Thank you, Rod, for sharing this encouraging devotional with us. Blessings.
Hello Rod,
Very good devotional you have shared. Blessings for the writings you do.
Once more, Rod, you have provided an excellent, very understandable, message for all. Thank you.
Rod I really enjoy reading your devotionals. You lift me up in the simplest of life’s things.
(Ontario, Canada)
Hello Rod.
Very encouraging and ever appropriate!
Blessings in our Lord!
(in smoky BC)
Hello:
Re: the iPhone/worn out bodies devotional…
Nice. Lovely comparison of the earthly and Heavenly.
Thank you.
Thank you Rod, great analogy in this devotional. At pushing 88, my parts are certainly wearing out, but I think God still has plans for me on this earth, as he keeps bringing me back from medical situations where the doctor did not think I would make it. He has given me more than one miracle, and I know that one day he will give me eternal rest. God is great.
Thanks for sharing!
No coincidence I was just charging my Husbands Cell Phone, and I was remembering how much longer my old Cell Phone took to charge.
Your “Upcycling” message with the Spiritual and Eternal aspects were so refreshing and on target!
Thank you, once again, for sharing your faith in such a way that we all can identify with it. i.e., doing a job and not fully focusing so not arriving at the desired outcome; trying to do a better job the second time by making a few changes.
How grateful I am that God does not “throw us away.”
Thank you for sharing your faith and your love of God.
Blessings.
That is SUCH a perfect ‘picture’ to help us ‘oldies’ – now I know that HE will continue to repair and upgrade until my body is completely spent – and then, instead of sending me to the junk pile, HE will transfer me to HIS Kingdom, in a totally new body! I LOVE having a picture of the Truth. I can always ‘pull it up’ when I’m struggling, and it never fails to transfer me to His side – the way an ambulance transfers a person who is in critical trouble to the emergency ward!! Thank you SO MUCH for this picture Rod!! God bless you for your faithful service to us, for HIS sake.
Good afternoon Rod,
An uplifting devotional this morning. Good example of the batteries.
We have a wall clock, which we bought in Europe many years ago. The works were worn out, could not be repaired, so I replaced it with battery operated works. I was able to use the face plate of the old clock, so it looks the same, the chimes are different though. It has happened that when I had to replace the batteries that I took the new ones out of the package, put them on the table, took out the old ones, put them on the table as well, and then could not remember which was which. Now I put the old ones in the recycle bag before I get the new ones out.
Thank you for writing.
Hello Rod, I always enjoy your devotions, but this one has a bit of me in it. I am not a worrier, and at over 90, only the Lord knows when He wants me with Him. I talk to Him about that as I am so ready but have several reasons I would love to live longer. We gave our children to the Lord as babies, raised them in a strong faith, and as children they all loved Jesus. The time came as they grow older and had to make their own decisions, and we had to watch as some made other decisions. My daughter whom I live with, kept the faith, and serves greatly. I would love to know that the others have given their hearts to the Lord, but I have once again said to the Lord, “Here they are, the ones you gave to us, we did all we could, and I give them to You.” God bless and yours, Rod.
Hello
This was good and I could feel the frustration of the battery issue. Thankful God does our repairs. God bless.
Thanks, Rod, for sharing your hope and faith today in this well-written memoir of the small things in life that can grow so big.